Saving Nemo

Yesterday, my calico cat, Nemo, had a 9-cm chunk of fur and skin bitten from her right, rear flank. The muscle layer was showing through the wound. After a close shave (in more ways than one), several hours in the after-hours vet clinic, and 13 staples, she appears to be well on her way to mending.

Nemo has pain meds and antibiotics to help her feel better and get better. She is also wearing a clear, conical “e-collar” to keep her from licking the stapled wound with her sandpaper tongue, potentially injuring both her tongue and wound. Unfortunately, she can neither eat nor drink while wearing the e-collar; the cone extends too far beyond the tip of her nose. So, for the last 24 hours, I have periodically removed the e-collar and watched her while she eats and drinks. Then the collar goes back on. I also get to give her a warm compress to keep the drain from clogging. So far, she’s let me hold a warm washcloth to her side while she eats. I wonder how many more days she’ll let me do that.

According to the discharge instructions, Nemo should be feeling pretty good in a couple of weeks. Until then, I’m going to be spending a lot of time with her.